Backpacks are notoriously well known articles used in a variety of daily activities. For example, backpacks are typically used in outdoors activities (e.g., camping, hiking, rock climbing, fishing and the like) as a means of carrying articles the participant needs for the particular activity in which he or she is involved.
It is desirable and sometimes necessary for the participant to rest periodically during outdoors activities, especially when the outdoor activities involve strenuous physical exercise. However, oftentimes, the participant in the outdoors activity does not have a convenient and/or comfortable place to rest. Thus, it would be desirable if some means were available that was sufficiently transportable so as to be usable in outdoors activities, while at the same time providing the participant in the outdoors activities with a convenient and comfortable place to rest. Furthermore, it would be highly desirable if such means also enabled the participant to carry articles needed for the particular outdoors activity. It is towards fulfilling such a need that the present invention is directed.
Broadly, the present invention is embodied in a combination backpack and stool. Thus, the present invention not only provides sufficient storage compartments so as to allow a participant to carry articles needed for particular outdoors activities, but also is adapted to bear the weight of the participant so that he or she may sit, and thereby rest, periodically.
According to one preferred embodiment, the combined backpack and stool will include a generally I-shaped rigid frame having substantially horizontally disposed opposing ground-engageable and seat-defining flanges, and a generally vertically disposed pedestal web support flange immovably separating the ground-engageable and the seat-defining flanges. Spaces are thereby established between the separated ground-engageable and seat-defining flanges which are enclosed by a flexible fabric-like material (e.g., canvas, film or sheets of plastics material, and the like) so as to define storage compartments in which articles may be placed, carried and accessed during the outdoors activities. A pair of shoulder straps is secured to the frame at laterally spaced locations so the participant may carry the frame on his or her back.
Another preferred embodiment of this invention includes a rigid frame which is formed of a seat-defining surface, opposing pairs of ground-engageable legs, and a pedestal support column which separates the seat-defining surface from the leg pairs and thereby establish a space therebetween. A flexible fabric-like material may thus be connected to the seat-defining surface and the leg pairs so as to enclosed the space defined thereby and thus establish a storage compartment in which articles may be placed. A pair of laterally spaced straps attached to the frame and extending between the seat-defining surface and the ground-engageable legs enable the frame to be carried upon a person's back.
Further aspects and advantages of this invention will become more clear after careful consideration is given to the detailed description of the preferred exemplary embodiments thereof which follow.